ASA MLB TV Game of the Month
(MLB) NY Yankees vs. Washington,
Money Line: 109.00 Washington (Home)
Result: Win
<b>ASA TOP PLAY 10* ON Money Line: Washington Nationals over New York Yankees, Saturday at 7:15 PM ET</b><Br><Br>The World Series champs are again a home underdog to the Yankees but the pitching match-up is a much different one in comparison with Thursday. After Friday's off-day, these two powerhouse teams resume their inter-league series with a match-up of Stephen Strasburg vs James Paxton. Even though the Yanks took a rain-shortened Game 1 of this series 4-1, they struck out 11 times in just 5+ innings. Facing strikeout machine Stephen Strasburg means many more swings and misses are again in line for Saturday's match-up. The difference this time is the Yankees have Paxton on the mound instead of Gerrit Cole plus it is noteworthy that Strasburg went 5-0 in last year's post-season and that followed a regular season in which he went 18-6 including 10-2 at home! Strasburg looked very sharp in camp and is fully capable of shutting down the free-swinging Yankees. Paxton had strong numbers for New York last season but, as has been the case in each of his recent seasons, he is a different pitcher on the road compared to at home. In the last 3 seasons combined his ERA has averaged a full run higher on the road in comparison with at home. Last season opponents hit 63 points higher against Paxton when he was on the road versus pitching in the Bronx. The Nationals have a number of hitters in their lineup that are particularly potent against left-handed pitchers and Paxton also is coming back from surgery on his lower back earlier this year. Both bullpens are fully rested as neither was used in the rain-shortened game Thursday but note that the Yankees are still without closer Aroldis Chapman. All signs point to a bounce back home win for Washington here and you won't find them as a home dog with Strasburg on the mound very often at all. Right now the betting public is enamored with the Yankees heading into this season but Strasburg and the Nationals are still the defending champs and this is the right match-up (at home against Paxton) to respond big after Thursday's ugly loss. Payback time. Bet the Nationals on the money line in early evening action Saturday